RESEARCH ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RIDING COMFORT AND CAR SEAT MATERIALS

The relationship between riding comfort and the properties of flexible polyurethane foam used in car seats was quantitatively illustrated through vibration experiments with humans sitting in car seats, which were vertically shaken by vibrator. Riding comfort was estimated according to SD (Semantic Differential)-method using questionnaire, and was analyzed with a factor analysis which demonstrated the principal factors of riding comfort. At the same time, riding comfort was related to the properties of the flexible polyurethane foam with coefficients of correlation. It was also related to the behaviour of its vibration of humans sitting in the seats. As a result, it was demonstrated that the relationship between riding comfort and the flexible polyurethane foam properties varies according to the frequency of the vibration shaking the human sitting in the seat. and it was demonstrated that the frequency dependence of the relationship is strongly affected by the physical changes of the vibration modes of the human-seat vibration system.